Various devices are known for cutting sheet material. For example, scissors are commonly used to cut paper and textile sheet material. However scissors are generally slow and labour intensive. Scissors are more appropriate for small cuts rather than repeated cuts of broad widths of material as may be required for packaging or other applications. A further type of cutting device for elongate sheet material is a guillotine in which a pivoted shearing arm is brought past a cutting edge and a long straight cut through the sheet material is made with one motion. However, again, these applications are generally restricted precise cuts made in smaller sheet material and are not appropriate for larger applications.
What is required is a cutter which is capable of cleanly and efficiently cutting sheet material of any width and which is capable of cutting all different kinds of sheet material including plastics, synthetic fabrics, natural fabrics, papers, and rubberized materials. Such a cutter would preferably cut consistent straight lines and would cut such lines with a minimum of motion and a maximum of speed. Such a cutter would preferably be one which could be manually operated or optionally power operated.